Is Universal doing away with Pass holder hotels rates?

[namelessoracle]

As a Universal and Disney annual pass holder, I am shocked at the number of Disney AP rates that are available for even the Value Resorts.

We booked a Friday and Saturday night stay at the renovated rooms at All Star Music for $128 night night in July. That’s a 35% savings over rack rate, an almost unheard of discount rate for a Value Resort on the weekend. (The Disney hotels normally are full on weekends.)

Meanwhile, it’s hard to get a discounted Deluxe Resort room at Universal.

My theory is that vacationers are fed up with the added costs and limited benefits of Genie+ and ILL, and have started to recognize the value of the free Express Pass Unlimited included with Universal’s Deluxe Resorts.

Its cheaper for a family of 4 to get Deluxe if they want Express passes than just paying for them. WAY cheaper. Express starts at 80 and it usually over a 100 most days. So if you wanted express you are dropping about how much the room was gonna run you anyways. For this week, express passes are about 200 a head. So the room might even be effectively FREE if you wanted an express. Then you do the double dip strat. You get them valid for the day you check in and the day you check out. So if you had a deluxe room your family of 4 is getting 1600$ of Express passes.

 

[UOAP-Naples]

Still keep checking every day for my dates Aug 14-19. Losing hope for AP rates as Sapphire Falls, Hard Rock, and Portofino Bay didn’t show up with anything available, and RPR only offers the captain’s presidential suite for $1642/nt (savvy traveler rate!)

I just checked your dates. They have $124 AP rates for Cabana Bay and Aventura and $100 at Surfside. Even the 2 bedroom suite at Surfside is only $141 per night.

If you look at just the night of the Aug 14th, they have a $442 rate for RP that one night. It would get you express passes for Sunday and Monday.
There is also a $534 rate for the night of Aug 17th at Portofino. That would get you express passes for the 17th and 18th.

I know you might not want to room hop. Have you considered staying at one of the cheap hotels and then getting a burner room at a deluxe for one night so you get two days of express? I don't know if that's an option for your family but we have done it before.

 

[georgina]

I just checked your dates. They have $124 AP rates for Cabana Bay and Aventura and $100 at Surfside. Even the 2 bedroom suite at Surfside is only $141 per night.

If you look at just the night of the Aug 14th, they have a $442 rate for RP that one night. It would get you express passes for Sunday and Monday.
There is also a $534 rate for the night of Aug 17th at Portofino. That would get you express passes for the 17th and 18th.

I know you might not want to room hop. Have you considered staying at one of the cheap hotels and then getting a burner room at a deluxe for one night so you get two days of express? I don't know if that's an option for your family but we have done it before.

Thanks. I did switch last week to the AP rate for CB. (I usually check every day but had been on vacation in the UK until the 19th) Don't need express this trip (solo, will be hitting VB and the pools a lot). I have CB booked in Dec for the OI meetup (4 nights) and just got an agency exclusive offer for Feb for PB for $250/nt I am probably going to book!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

This is so disappointing. We were APHs for several years back when our kids were young 2005-2015. In those days, the APH discount was a good $100 off per night. Even for a 3-nt stay, the AP discount would pay for itself in one trip.
I'm booking a trip for my niece and her family for Aug 27-31 and keep holding off buying tickets until I see if I can get an APH rate for RPR. It sounds like a lot of hype for just $3 off. Every time I think of giving up and buying 4 regular tickets, I feel like I should hold out a little longer.

I currently have water view 2 queens at $355 first night, then $291 for the next 3 nights. At the time, water view was cheaper than the standard view.

 

[UOAP-Naples]

This is so disappointing. We were APHs for several years back when our kids were young 2005-2015. In those days, the APH discount was a good $100 off per night. Even for a 3-nt stay, the AP discount would pay for itself in one trip.
I'm booking a trip for my niece and her family for Aug 27-31 and keep holding off buying tickets until I see if I can get an APH rate for RPR. It sounds like a lot of hype for just $3 off. Every time I think of giving up and buying 4 regular tickets, I feel like I should hold out a little longer.

I currently have water view 2 queens at $355 first night, then $291 for the next 3 nights. At the time, water view was cheaper than the standard view.

Under $300 for a premier hotel with express passes is a really good deal.

 

[jods]

This is so disappointing. We were APHs for several years back when our kids were young 2005-2015. In those days, the APH discount was a good $100 off per night. Even for a 3-nt stay, the AP discount would pay for itself in one trip.
I'm booking a trip for my niece and her family for Aug 27-31 and keep holding off buying tickets until I see if I can get an APH rate for RPR. It sounds like a lot of hype for just $3 off. Every time I think of giving up and buying 4 regular tickets, I feel like I should hold out a little longer.

I currently have water view 2 queens at $355 first night, then $291 for the next 3 nights. At the time, water view was cheaper than the standard view.

You can always get the regular tickets and upgrade there. I did that last year. It only cost me 150 to upgrade. I ended up upgrading my family on checkout day. We are using those APs again next week.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Under $300 for a premier hotel with express passes is a really good deal.

Yes, I get it. It's just sticker shock for me. We haven't been since 2015 and most of our trips were pre-Harry Potter. All hotels are crazy high lately. Using hotel keys for express pass is heavenly and imho, the only way to visit USO.

 

[Nabas]

Under $300 for a premier hotel with express passes is a really good deal.

Less than a year ago, many were booking Universal premier hotels for under $200 per night.

 

[jods]

Less than a year ago, many were booking Universal premier hotels for under $200 per night.

Last summer I had portofino for 200 but them changed it to club level and that was 350.

 

[kbelle8995]

We got a room in Cabana Bay (poolview, standard) for 119, due to my AP pass in September. All hotels are super expensive this summer.

 

[Jangles]

Royal Pacific has AP rates today for October. King suite at $384.15. Nothing for HRH, but Portofino has some AP rates on suites.

 

[TyRy]

Checked this morning for a couple days the first week of November and AP rates are there for some hotels. Nothing for Royal Pacific or Hard Rock, but Portofino has some AP rates as do the other hotels.

 

[Skywalker3]

Wow, just browsing for fun, and several dates in Sept have RPH in the 200s! crazy. Wish we could go them, can't wait until we aren't tied to the school calendars!
I've booked 3 different hotels for my 1 night in Oct. Cancelled Surfside yesterday, and more than likely will cancel Dockside, in favor of Sapphire Falls. Never stayed at either. 2 bedroom suite at Dockside $40 cheaper than Sapphire, but I really want to be closer for an easier walk at 2AM after HHN.
Anyway, there's some good AP rates out there, just not during holidays. Nothing for Labor day, etc.

 

[Grumpy92]

I found AP rates in December.

 

[DL1WDW2]

What are the dates and rates for your AP Booking discount in December? Also which hotel and how did you book?
Did you call or did you possibly modify a reservation?

 

[georgina]

What are the dates and rates for your AP Booking discount in December? Also which hotel and how did you book?
Did you call or did you possibly modify a reservation?

You can book AP rates online, no need to call. The dates and what is available will fluctuate, putting in a random Dec 11-15 (Sun-Thurs), I see ES for $74, CBBR and Aventura for $107, SF $163, HRH $290, PB $302.

Weekends are harder, especially with the OI meetups the first 2 weekends in Dec.

Just put in some dates and play around - https://res.windsurfercrs.com/ibe/d...hildren=0&promo=aph&iata=&group=&hotels=&ada=

 

[namelessoracle]

You will basically never find an annual pass rate on a Friday or Saturday. When you do find them they are almost always Sunday to Thursday dates.

 

[Nabas]

You will basically never find an annual pass rate on a Friday or Saturday. When you do find them they are almost always Sunday to Thursday dates.

Values can be found for weekends.

Sometimes, Premier rates show up for weekends on short notice.

We recently booked a Saturday night AP rate at the Hard Rock only a few days before our arrival. When we checked in, we were given a club level room. When we asked about the upgrade, we were told “they gotta fill the rooms.”

 

[Disneytam]

We just changed our PBR CL to a nice AP rate. We will be arriving on Saturday November 26-30 Price was on average $489 a night. That included the weekend night and all taxes. Idid have to call in and have them adjust the price for me.

 

[starry_solo]

Less than a year ago, many were booking Universal premier hotels for under $200 per night.

not me. My AP rate was still $275-ish…